Is anyone going to adapt their dnd campaign into a novel?

[RootBeerBert]

I heard Critical Role is adapting one of their campaigns into a show but I’m wondering if any authors are planning on making their campaigns into a novel. I’d be down to read if anyone does it or has already did it.

 

[Zirrboy]

I don't think DnD campaigns are necessarily good material for stories.
You have the attachment to "your baby" character, as well as relations to the people you played with.
You could shape the story.

Readers have neither.
And the uncoordinated and on the fly narrative doesn't improve that.

 

[Cipiteca396]

I spent a long time plotting out a story based on DnD characters, but an actual campaign is usually too troublesome.

However, I have seen a few. The Record of Lodoss War and all of its derivatives are based on games played by the author and co.
I also read one that was very heavy on the nature of DND religions, starring a Paladin, a Redeemed Succubus, a Druid, and maybe a few other people I didn't care about (don't remember the name, sorry).
Then there was the smut one in my reading list. Probably not what you're looking for, but you can find it if you want.

 

[Ai-chan]

It would be funny to read about a novel character who carries a 10-foot pole everywhere.

 

[RootBeerBert]

I don't think DnD campaigns are necessarily good material for stories.
You have the attachment to "your baby" character, as well as relations to the people you played with.
You could shape the story.

Readers have neither.
And the uncoordinated and on the fly narrative doesn't improve that.

Then what about a on based on adaptation rather than a faithful adaptation? With the author adding some bits into it to make a better story?

 

[Ilikewaterkusa]

I heard Critical Role is adapting one of their campaigns into a show but I’m wondering if any authors are planning on making their campaigns into a novel. I’d be down to read if anyone does it or has already did it.

I heard Critical Role is adapting one of their campaigns into a show but I’m wondering if any authors are planning on making their campaigns into a novel. I’d be down to read if anyone does it or has already did it.

I could but I would have to fine tune things a lot. I would rather draw inspiration rather than adpating it.

 

[Varstark]

Goblin Slayer is the chief example of this in our times, I think. Its worldbuilding basically amounts to "because the gods (players) said so", and there are bizarre, rigid systems that serve no narrative or practical purpose whatsoever, like spells being limited in number per day, classes, no names, etc. Hell, I don't think even Lodoss War uses 'adventurers' (rather than 'adventuring').

It's really just better to make it your own fantasy world and jettison any game aspect that doesn't serve your story.

 

[T.K._Paradox]

I would if my players weren't memey shit lords, that think D&D memes are as funny in game as they are on the internet.

 

[Armorien]

I've already done one, it's uh a real big mess though lmao. And the plot is the same but there are added scenes, etc. It actually is a lot of fun to write.

 

[Lloyd]

No

 

[CubicleHermit]

I think there are a bunch of western fantasy books that came out of people's D&D campaign/world. I remembered https://www.ethshar.com/ethsharfaq.shtml as one of them but from that it looks like my memory is a bit off.

Not sure if it's OK to link to reddit here, but https://www.reddit.com/r/rpg/comments/8z1jz0 discusses a bunch.

In general, though, having DM'ed a lot more D&D (and other RPGs) than actually gotten stuff written, it's hard to get players through a dramatic arc that would work in fiction; older style death-is-cheap editions of D&D in particular are pretty hostile to it, and newer ones tend to get railroady if you do.

 

[2021]

Well you would have to remember ever single events that happened

 

[CubicleHermit]

Or just remember the important ones, roughly how they played out and fill in the details. Unless your players are huge actor-wannabes, odds are the table talk and any acting out the characters is going to make terrible dialog :)

 

[SakeVision]

Kek, the japanese made anime called Chaos Dragon based on dnd campaign, and it was shit. Turns out rolling dice is not a good basis for coherent storytelling.

 

[Cipiteca396]

Kek, the japanese made anime called Chaos Dragon based on dnd campaign, and it was shit. Turns out rolling dice is not a good basis for coherent storytelling.

Ooh? More trash anime for me to watch? Don' min' if I do.

 

[Amok]

The two examples I know of that come from rp campaigns are the Malazan series, and the recent game Vagrus: The Riven Realms. Both have solid world-building and scope imo.

 

[Deleted member 78108]

I plan to, not sure how it'll turn out